Merry Christmas, Hell Girl
by ukechii
Summary: A young girl tormented and pushed to the edge by her own mother. What other choice does she have but to call Hell girl? She's scared for her life, covered in bruises...there's no other way.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Hell Girl/ Jigoku Shoujo. I do NOT own the anime at all or any of its characters. I DO, however, own my original characters so HAHAHAHAHAHA AND this particular fanfiction plot so no plagiarism please or I might have to find out where you sleep ^_^ Lol, Jk...or am I?  
**

Merry Christmas, Hell Girl

She sits quietly in the background as unnoticeable as a pebble in a field of stones. She silently watches everyone else goes on with their lives, unaware or the torment she goes through every day, unaware of her suffering, and unaware that she will do anything to make it end.

Anju was woken up by a sudden slap in the face, startled she jumps up, falling clumsily off her bed and onto the floor, her mother glaring down at her.

"YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE AND YOUR BREAKFAST IS ALREADY COLD! DO YOU KNOW HOW WASTEFUL THAT IS? FOOD ISN'T FREE YOU KNOW! I HAD TO PAY FOR IT WITH HARD EARNED MONEY NOW GET UP YOU USELESS GIRL! GET UP SO I DON'T HAVE TO SEE YOUR FACE!"

"Yes mother, sorry mother, sorry" Anju said meekly as she climbed to her feet, only to be knocked down with a forceful hand.

"Don't you EVER make me have to wake you up again or you'll be living on the streets, got it! Now I'm late for work and if they fire me, it's because of _you_, you _pitiful_ little _thing_." Her mother threatened as she stormed out of Anju's room, slamming the door behind her.

"Mother I'm sorry, I'm sorry…please…..forgive me…." Anju whispered to herself as she climbed back to her feet and got ready for school, making sure to hide the red handprint that was now throbbing on her face with cover-up she had bought the day before. Then she slipped on her shoes and walked out the door before her mother could think up a reason to hit her again…

When she got to school she, as usual, went straight to her seat in the back row by the window and sat quietly, waiting for class to start, but today, before she could even walk into the class room, something unusual happened. Someone stopped to talk to her.

"Hey, Yamazaki-san! Good morning." It was the student council president Akihiko Inoue. One of the more popular guys in school, what reason could he have for taking the time to say good morning to a nobody like Anju?

"Uh…Good Morning, Inoue-senpai" Anju said quietly with a little bow. "H-how do you know my name?"

"I remembered you from when you tried to start a music club a few weeks back. I'm sorry you couldn't find enough members in time. I bet you're a great musician." He explained, blushing ever s slightly. " Maybe you can try again next term, I'll be looking forward to it." and with that he walked away.

-The Next Day-

Waking up half hour early so her mother couldn't do it for her, Anju took her time putting on her winter uniform. Winter was fast approaching, it had even flurried last night, and winter means Christmas. Anju always loved Christmas, even though she never got anything or decorated, she just loved the happy vibe everyone gave off during this time of year. It helped her forget her own troubles for awhile.

"ANJU! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!" Her mother suddenly screamed. "WHY THE HELL DON'T I SMELL BREAKFAST YET!"

Her mother's footsteps now pounded down the hallway towards Anju's room, Anju braced herself for the worst. Sure enough, Chiaki Yamazaki came storming into her daughter's bedroom and snatched her up by the hair.

"YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO MAKE BREAKFAST TODAY SO WHERE IS IT! HUH? I CAN'T GO TO WORK ON AN EMPTY STOMACH SO I'M GOING TO BE LATE NOW IF I HAVE O MAKE IT MYSELF!" She screeched, thrusting Anju into the wall and holding her an inch in the air by her long black hair. "YOU USELESS, SELFISH BRAT! WHY'D I EVER GIVE BIRTH TO SOMETHING A PATHETIC AS YOU! I WISH I HAD JUST GOTTEN AN ABORTION LIKE I WANTED! STUPID BITCH!"

Chiaki slammed her daughter against the wall again, causing photos to fall off the wall and books to fall from shelves. She then dropped her where Anju immediately slumped to the floor and held her now aching head, trying to over her face with her arms at the same time, but it was useless.

"CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT!" Her mother screeched again, this time grabbing Anju's left arm hard enough to leave a large purple bruise, and slapped her straight across the face. Tears fell from Anju's face as she tried to hold back the urge to scream. She knew if she screamed, or begged her to stop, her mother would only hit her longer and harder. So she sat there and took it.

Blow after blow….her arms now covered in big purple bruises, and her face bearing a large red mark shaped like her mother's hand. With her long nails, Chiaki had managed to scratch anju as well. Blood dripped from her cheek, her arms, and even from her legs. She couldn't go to school like this, her classmates and teachers are bound to notice the large cut on her cheek on top of the red handprint, the one from yesterday hadn't even completely disappeared yet. But there was no way she could stay home…even though her mom would be at work, if she found out anju skipped school, she'd get an even worse beating. She had to go to school

With a rather large bandage on her cheek, black stocking to cover her bruised legs, and her long-sleeved winter uniform to cover her arms, Anju bravely walked into class, ten minutes late, and she was, if anything, known for being the first one to class.

"I'm sorry I'm late, I fell this morning and had to tend to the scratch. I should have been more careful" She said when the teacher asked her why she was late. He seemed to accept her excuse and sent her to her seat.

As expected, whispers immediately spread through the room like a wild flower. One conversation in particular caught her attention.

"Do you think she did that just by falling?"

"No way, It looks like someone hit her"

"Do you think it was a gangster? haha, maybe she should call hell girl!"

"hahaha, maybe. It suits her, sending someone to hell. I wouldn't be surprised if she was hellgirl herself!"

"Yeah, dragging people to the depths of hell at midnight!"

"Oh come on! That's just a stupid rumor, there's no such thing as hell girl!"

Hell girl? Anju wondered to herself. Maybe she can help me…..

-Lunch Time-

Like always, anju went up to the roof to eat her boxed lunch alone, without the distracting gossip that's constantly going around, today's topics were probably all about her anyway. Then, just as she was finishing up and ready to head back in, the stairway door opens and out steps Akihiko.

"I…Inoue-senpai?" Anju stammered in surprise. "What are you doing up here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." He said coolly. "I like to come here to think. It can get so noisy inside. Why are you out here?"

Anju didn't say anything, she just turned to gaze out at the seemingly endless sky and I guess Akihiko understood that and took it as her answer. They stood there in silence for a few more minutes until the bell rang, signaling everyone to get back to class. So they said their goodbyes and headed to class.

When class was over, everyone shuffled out, in a hurry to hang out with friends, or go home to be with family, but Anju took her time. Slowly she packed up her bag, slowly she changed her shoes, and slowly she walked out of the school to go back to her house….

"Yo, Yamazaki-chan"

Before she even looked she knew who it was.

"Y-yo, Inoue-senpai"

"No need to be so formal, you can call me Inoue-kun if you want! Any chance I can walk you home today?"

anju noticed he was blushing a little, it was kind of cute. Her first instinct was to say yes and then walk with him but….what would her mom say? Or a better question…what would she do? She was too scared to risk it.

"I'm sorry, Inoue-senpai, but I can't today…..but maybe some other time?" It seemed rude, and a waste to turn him down flat and hse really wanted to walk home with him, but she'd have to wait for a day when her mother wouldn't be home to see him. Akihiko seemed to be really disappointed with her answer, but accepted it and went off on his own, as did Anju.

-11:50pm That Night-

"Mother…I hate you." She whispered quietly to herself. "You've terrorized me enough…I-I can't take it anymore…You've ruined my one chance of having a friend…or possibly a boyfriend. What else can I do? Is there anyone else I can turn to? No….no one could understand. This…is my only choice"

11:53

"Maybe I shouldn't, she is my mother after all. NO! That women can't really be called a mother….real mother's don't take their anger out on their kids. Mama…..I vaguely remember a time when you were so kind, but the only time I can really remember you smiling, is when you put on that fake one for show. all the neighbors…..all the teachers….they think you're such a kind-hearted, loving mother and a beautiful women…..But if they knew…knew what you did to me, they'd hate you, just like I do."

11:57

"It's almost time…..I'll be able to access Hell Correspondence in only three more minutes. In only three more minutes….I'll be sending a witch to hell. No more hiding my arms and legs, no more living in fear of her, no more crying myself to sleep every night, and no more being so alone"

12:00

With a swift "swoosh" a small flame flickered on the screen before dimming just below a white bar. Above that bar are the words "Your grievance shall be avenged"

Anju clicked on the white bar and typed "Chiaki Yamazaki, my mother" then hit enter. with a blink of the eye, she found herself in an odd scene. She was standing by a large tree, there was a lake or pond to her right with a beautiful sunset on the horizon. The scene seemed have a red-ish tint to it, maybe from the sunset?

"You have summoned me" a voice said out of nowhere, making Anju jump, she turned towards the tree, not knowing what to expect, and saw a girl with long black hair and crimson eyes. She looked just like a doll.

"My name….is Ai Enma"

"Are you the hell girl?"

"Tell me, do you truly hate this person enough to kill them?"

Anju took that as a yes and answered. "I hate her with all my heart and fear her with every fiber of my being. I'm sick of living in fear! I'm sick of feeling so alone because of that women! I can't even call her my mother anymore! She's a witch! A monster!" She then fell to her knees, tears running down her face. She'd never told anyone about it yet here she was shouting it at a strangers face. She felt so relieved, but at the same time, she was angry, all she wanted was to get it over with now.

"Wanyuudo." Ai said, and he then proceeded to take the form of a small, black doll. Then, Ai handed the doll to the crying girl before her and said "Take this."

Anju took the doll and immediately took interest in the crimson string around it's neck, she had the feeling it could save all her problems. But before she could pull it, Ai gave the usual speech:

"If you truly wish to eliminate your antagonist,  
you must untie that red string.  
If you remove the string, you shall officially enter into contract with me.  
The one you seek revenge upon shall be taken immediately to Hell.  
However, if I deliver your revenge, I must have you make restitution to me.  
When one person is cursed, two graves are dug.

If you accept the contract, thy soul shall fall into the pit of Hell.  
Your spirit shall wander forever in pain and suffering, never having known paradise.  
But that's only after you die.  
The rest is for you to decide."

"So…I have to go to hell as well, what are the chances I'll run into her when I die?" Anju asked, fearing that this might be in vain.

"Hell is a pretty big place." said a women in a blue kimono that was standing behind her, how did she not notice her before? "The chances that you'll run into your mother there are about equal to running blindly around Japan looking for someone whose name you do not know and face you cannot remember."

"So in other words, it's pretty unlikely." Said another stranger that appeared, this time leaning against the tree. He wore a green and gray jacket and his hair was brushed so it completely covered his left eye. "I'm a bit curious, why is it you hate your mother so much? What has she done that's so terrible?"

"ichimoku Ren!" Said the women behind Anju, letting him know that he was out of line asking such a question.

"It's okay…..I'll show you." Anju stated.

"Show us?" Ichimoku Ren and the women questioned as they exchanged a glance before looking back at the girl.

Anju, who was wearing long pajama pants, a short sleeved pajama shirt and a long sleeved sweater, took off her sweater, revealing dozens of bruises and scratches going all the way up her arms, and even on her hands from trying to protect herself. Then she pulled up her pant legs, revealing even more marks. She even unbuttoned the bottom few buttons of her shirt, revealing only her stomach, and plenty more bruises.

Everyone was quiet. The man who had asked the question, Ichimoku Ren, had to look away. Even the hell girl herself found it had to look at.

"This…..this is why." Anju said as she buttoned back up, and put her sweater back on. "Why I have no other choice but to send her to hell, to send my own mother to an eternity of suffering."

**Authors Note: I'm so so so beyond sorry that I haven't updated this in so long even though I said I would...****I won't try to make excuses, though I will tell you that I AM currently working on the second chapter and am roughly 1300 words into it. ****I can't give you a date of when I can publish it but I'll so it as soon as I'm done writing it XD Sorry. **_  
_


	2. Chapter 2

"That's "Why I have no other choice but to send her to hell, to send my own mother to an eternity of suffering."

A cold breeze blew three the window as Tsugumi had another vision, seeing through Hell Girl's eyes. She saw a girl, young and beautiful with her long dark hair and soft puppy-dog brown eyes, but you could tell just by looking at her that she was suffering. She had a strong sadness in those eyes…then the girl took off her sweater revealing many bruises. The girl then took the doll from Ai…

Tsugumi bounced back into reality. Her dad, Hajime Shibata, was sitting across from her looking concerned like he always is when Tsugumi gets visions from hell girl but this time even more so because Tsugumi was crying.

"Tsugumi….." Hajime said as he reached out to comfort his daughter. "What was it? What'd you see this time?"

Tsugumi looked up into her dad's eyes, her vision slightly blurred by the tears welling in her eyes. "Hajime…..would you ever hit me? Would you…?"

Hajime took his daughter into his arms, holding her close. "Of course, Tsugumi, I could never hit you. Why would you ask something like that? What did you see?"

Tsugumi told him everything she saw. She told him about the girl….battered and bruised, about the pained look in her eyes, and about her taking the doll. She wanted to add "That women deserves to go to hell" but she knew it would make Hajime mad, so she kept the thought to herself this time.

As expected, Hajime and Tsugumi were quickly on their way to trying to meddle in Ai's business once again. First step, finding the battered girl.

Anju woke up well before her alarm once again, clutching the black doll tightly in her hand.

_It wasn't a dream after all_, she thought as she got ready for school, all the while holding the straw doll tightly in her hand. When she was dressed and had checked to make sure all the evidence was completely out of sight, she held the doll up with her left hand, her right hand caressing the red string around the neck.

"Please Mama, just disappear!" She whispered as her fingers tightened around the crimson string. She told her arm to pull, pull with all its might…but it didn't budge. She willed herself to pull it, to unravel the thread from the doll's neck, but she couldn't. Tears started to well up in Anju's eyes and she fell to her knees sobbing as she realized why she couldn't' do it. Some part deep in her heart, a part that has been buried to the deepest darkest regions of her soul, still loves her mother. No matter how many times a daughter is hurt, betrayed, and abandoned by her mother, she can't help but have remaining fragments of love for the women that brought her into the world, even if she wishes otherwise.

Wanted so badly to scream in frustration, she settled with launching the doll across the room where it slammed into the far wall of her room before slumping lifelessly onto Anju's bed. After summoning Hell Girl and getting the doll, how could she not be strong enough to pull the string?

Rising back to her feet, she wiped the tears from her now red face. She tried desperately to think on the bright side, but she'd never been very good at positive thinking so she had no choice but to continue the day like any other.

Anju tip-toes down the stairs and into the kitchen to grab the bento she made last night…..and hesitated a little as she stared at the second bento under hers, the one she made for Inoue-san to thank him for being so kind. She remembered how he smiled at her when they talked on the roof, and the fact that he never commented on the obvious bruise that was still evident on her pale face. She picked up the plain box and placed it gently into her bag, right next to her own bento, before scurrying off to the front door and off to school, but not two steps out the door she ran into something tall and hard…..

"Yo, Anju-chan" a familiar voice said.

Anju looked up to see student council president Akihiko Inoue smiling down on her (He's quite a few inches taller than our somewhat short little Anju) "I-Inoue-sempai...?"

"I told you, Anju-chan, no need to be so formal, you can call me Akihiko, or Aki-kun if you prefer, haha"

"O-okay…Aki-kun."

"That's better! I mean, we are friends aren't we? No need to call each other by our last names"

Akihiko said, his smile getting bigger and his mood even brighter. Anju was so distracted by it that she nearly forgot about her mother sleeping, or possibly waking up, inside. Suddenly very anxious to get away from the house, Anju grabbed Akihiko's hand without thinking and started to pull him away from the house.

"Hey-?"

"I-I'm sorry but if we don't' hurry we'll be late." Anju explained quickly, slowing down as they got closer to school and farther from her vengeful mother.

Slightly confused by the situation, Akihiko decided to accept it for now and question her later. She was obviously bothered by something and the last thing he wanted to do was make it worse. Plus, he would never admit it but he was enjoying the fact that they were holding hands while she was dragging him along, though she (lucky for him) hadn't noticed it yet.

When the school came into sight, Anju breathed a sigh of relief and slowed her pace, completely forgetting about the company she had just dragged along with her.

"Looks like we're almost at school now, so you can let go of my hand…..that is…if you want to"

At first Anju didn't know what he was talking about, then she realized she had been holding his hand the entire time! Her face flushed a violent shade of red, and immediately withdrew her hand. "So-sorry. I-I didn't realize…."

Akihiko blushed slightly as she said that. "You don't have to apologize, I didn't mind it at all." Then he added "You know, you look kinda cute when you get embarrassed"

This caused Anju to get even more embarrassed and blush deeper, the exact result he was expecting and hoping for. He couldn't help but laugh.

"St-stop laughing at me…" she said quietly. She thought he was trying to make fun of her, trying to get her to cry, just like others have done to her in the past, before she learned how to fade into the background. Was history going to repeat itself? Isn't bad enough her mother beats her? Does she have to get bullied at school too? Even by the one she… But her thoughts were cut off when Akihiko replied:

"I'm not making fun of you if that's what you think. I just couldn't help it, I've never seen you look that way before. You always seem so distant and withdrawn, I'm laughing because I'm happy that I got to see the real you" His laughing turned into a smile that shone brighter than the sun….or at least that's what Anju was thinking it was like while her face blushed a deep red once again, not that the previous blush even had a chance to dissolve yet.

"C'mon, we better get to class, but I'll see you at lunch, right?" He asked

"Right"

**Authors Note:** Sorry it took forever to get this published. I was nearly finished with it when my computer crashed…..Everything….lost….THE HORROR! So I rewrote it from scratch and got it up as soon as I could, thank you for your patients! I'm working on the next chapter now and am hoping to have it up soon (and hoping for no more surprise attacks by the anbu black-ops: computer division). You can look forward to many many twist you hopefully never expected XD


	3. Chapter 3

People on the streets passed, laughing, talking, seeming so happy and joyful, so full of life, but Tsugumi couldn't help wondering: "_How can they be so happy and someone is suffering so much?" _And of course she was thinking that with one person in mind…..Ever since she had that vision, she couldn't look at anything the same way anymore, and she couldn't get that girl out of her now spinning mind. Every time she closed her eyes, those bruises and scars and those helpless eyes…those pained, desperate eyes, were all she saw. She only snapped out of it when she heard Hajime ask her something.

"Tsugumi…..are you alright? You seem a bit out of it lately…."

"Oh, I'm fine" She said with that big smile of hers.

Hajime didn't completely buy it, he's not stupid you know, but he let it slide because he didn't want to pry. He knew it had something to do with the vision Tsugumi had the other day, because ever since then, she's been acting strange. He can't pretend that this case doesn't bother him a little as well, actually, it bothers him a lot. A mother abusing her own daughter? It's sick. A mother is supposed to love and care for her child, hold them close and tell them "I love you". A mother is not supposed to be someone feared by her children, she's not supposed to hit them, and beat them, and tell them they're useless. Just thinking about it pissed him off, but he was still holding strong to the idea that no one should be sent to hell.

Hajime and Tsugumi had just walked into the local supermarket to buy ingredients for their Christmas dinner. It wasn't Christmas yet, but Christmas eve was only the day after tomorrow and Tsugumi wanted to practice a few western dishes she had recently learned so they would be perfect on the upcoming holiday. Usually Tsugumi would go shopping by herself while Hajime searched for the person in Tsugumi's visions but he had a bad feeling about today so he insisted on going with her. They walked around for awhile, putting this and that into a shopping basket.

They were just heading to the front of the store to pay, when out of nowhere Tsugumi drops the basket letting everything fall and spill all over the floor. Hajime immediately yelled Tsugumi's name and bent down to make sure she was okay, he thought she was having another vision, but she wasn't. Her eyes were big and the expression on her face…what was it? What emotion could cause such an expression as the one on her face? Hajime quickly forgot about the basket and the dinner and followed his daughter's gaze…..

Hajime followed Tsugui's gaze to the opposite end of the aisle. A young girl with long ink black hair and rich brown eyes that somehow make you think of a neglected puppy stood there, staring thoughtfully at the shelf. Hajime looked back at Tsugumi who now had tears running down her cheeks like rain.

"It's her" She choked out, barely able to speak.

"Her?" Hajime repeated, unsure of what she meant until suddenly it hit him like a punch to the face. "Tsugumi, is she the girl from your vision?"

Tsugumi couldn't speak. She felt so sorry for the girl and wanted nothing more than to run up to her and tell her it'll be okay, so she nodded instead.

Hajime looked back at the girl, remembering what Tsugumi had said to him when he finally got her to talk about the vision:

*Flashback*

"H-hajime it was horrible!" Tsugumi cried. "Her entire body was covered in bruises and marks! It looked like someone had used her as their personal punching bag! It was awful! She was so scared and desperate for help! How could anyone do something like that? How could they hurt such a nice girl! How can people be so cruel?"

"Tsugumi, Tsugumi I know it's hard, but do you know who did that to her?" Hajime asked her gently. He wanted answers but he wanted to protect his daughter too. If he was too harsh with her it could break her fragile state of mind.

"It….It's her mom. She's the one that's been hurting her!"

*End Flashback*

Looking at the girl standing only feet away from him, it was hard to believe what she was going through. She seemed fine with a faint smile on her face while she scanned the shelves for whatever she was looking for. She seemed so kind and delicate, was she really being beaten so hard? Was this even the right girl or was Tsugumi mistaken? But all doubts he had vanished the instant the girl found what she wanted and reached up to grab it, her long sleeve sliding down as she did so, revealing large purple-black bruises and red markings that looked like scratch marks running all up and down her right arm. He also noticed something poking out of her jacket pocket….a little black doll with a crimson sting around its neck…..

*Earlier that Evening*

Anju had gotten home from school an hour late, she had lost track of time. Aki-kun (Akihiko-senpai) had stopped her before she left the classroom and told her he was having trouble in English, Anju's best subject, and there was a test coming up and wanted her to tutor him. If Anju had left at that moment instead of helping him, she would have been early so she said it was okay and they both sat down. Though, in the end, they ended up joking and laughing and small-talking more than studying. She also realized that Akihiko is great in English and he admitted afterwards that he just wanted an excuse to talk to her. She ended up staying there with him for slightly over an hour….

When she got home that evening, her mother was waiting for her so as soon as she got her shoes off she was being dragged into the house by her hair, kicking and screaming the whole way.

'I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY! PLEASE! MOM PLEASE! STOP, STOOOOPPP!" She screamed, begging for mercy, blow after blow. "IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN, PLEASE! I PROMISE! HELP, STOP, PLEASE, NO!"

It's amazing that the entire neighborhood never hears her screams for help while this goes on, or they do and they pretend not to. They probably tell themselves "It's not my business, I shouldn't interfere with other people's affairs" or "I'm sure someone else will do something"

When Chiaki had calmed down, Anju sat crying in the corner, bleeding and broken, wishing to be anywhere but there. When she finally found the strength to stand, she decided she had to get out of the house even if it's was just for awhile so she hesitantly told her "mother" that she was going shopping and slipped out the door.

On her way to the store, she found herself quickly lost in thought. She thought how badly she had wanted to pull the string while Chiaki was hitting her, but how she couldn't find the strength to just reach into her pocket….Her hand instantly felt the slight bulge in her right pocket, making sure the little doll Ai had given her was still there.

Before she knew it, she was in the store staring blankly at a shelf. In a bad attempt to seem like she was actually looking for something she looked up, put on an expression that she hoped said "oh sill me, it was right in front of me the whole time!" and reached up to grab a cup of Ramen and put it in her shopping basket. Unfortunately, when she reached up, the sleeve of her jacket fell down revealing everything from the elbow and up. All the fresh wounds exposed….she froze for a moment, then quickly withdrew her hand and pulled her sleeve back up to cover the evidence that she couldn't quite face herself. She didn't even bother looking around to see if anyone had noticed , she just put her head down and started to walk away. She had only taken about two steps when she felt a hand on her shoulder…

When Anju felt the hand on her shoulder, all she could think was her mother had followed her and was unhappy that she had done something so reckless as letting her bruises show, she was so scared she couldn't move, though she did start to cry out of fear, but when she wasn't struck, or bombarded with insults, she got confused and turned around to see a man and a little girl standing there.

When the man saw her face, he must have seen the terror in her eyes and the tears of fear welling up because he immediately released her shoulder and apologized immensely for scaring her and that he just wanted to talk. The little girl next to him also apologized.

"I-I'm sorry." Anju said "You didn't scare me, you just caught me off guard is all. I didn't mean to be rude."

"No, it's not your fault at all." The man said, but his words seemed to hold more meaning to them than "it's not your fault you were startled" which made Anju worry that she'd been found out, that her secret had been revealed.

"I'm sorry but I have to-" Anju tried to say but was immediately cut off

"So tell me, is it worth going to hell too?" The man asked

"Excuse me but-" Cut off again…

"I know you know what I'm talking about. If you pull the string, you'll be sending yourself to hell as well. Do you understand what that means! Do you know what hell is like!" Hajime started getting frustrated with her "playing dumb" act, and seemed to forget about her home situation

"I DO!" Anju said strongly with more authority than you could have thought possible from a girl like her, which caught Hajime off guard. "I know what hell is like because I'm living it right now"

If you were to see the look in her eyes while she said that, you probably would have to stop and rethink everything you thought you knew. It was a look filled with pain and knowing. The pain of being hurt by the one meant to protect you, and the knowing there is no way to escape, along with so much more that it's impossible to put it into words.

Anju tried to start to walk away again, but Hajime wouldn't leave it at that. He was determined to keep this girl from pulling the string

"So you're okay with living a few years of a life that may or may not get better, then going back to hell when you die? Can you honestly say you can be happy with that! Don't you deserve a chance to go to heaven?"

She stopped a moment, and debated saying something back like "Heaven wouldn't let someone as useless as me through its gates" but decided against it and kept walking away. Hajime tried to go after her to continue trying to get her to give up the doll, but Tsugumi grabbed his arm and said "That's enough"

Anju couldn't get out of the store fast enough. She wanted to get away from that man, whoever he was, and never see him again. She hated talking about it…how'd he know so much anyway? Though, he did have a point. If she pulled the string, things would most likely get better, but what about after that? When she dies…she'll go right back to being in hell, but this time would be for real, and for eternity. What other options does she have? What else could she possible do to escape her mother's deadly grasp? Then, it hit her. She couldn't believe she'd been so stupid! She had a plan couldn't go wrong no matter how much anyone interfered.

*Next Day*

Things at school were completely hectic. Everyone was preparing for the big Christmas party coming up. Making costumes, building decorations, the halls were filled with students of all years running back and forth. Akihiko, being student council president, was the busiest of them all. Approving all the requests, making sure everything worked out without a hitch, though he always smiled and waved whenever he and Anju passed in the halls. It almost made Anju reconsider what she had planned for her mother this Christmas eve.

Finally, the lunch bells rang, and although many people were still working frantically on whatever they were supposed to be doing, Anju managed to escape to the roof, her only safe haven. She couldn't believe it had only been a few days ago that she worked up the courage to give Akihiko-sempai the extra bento she made. Just thinking about the smile on his face when he accepted it made Anju blush. She wished things were different so she and Akihiko could be together without her having to be afraid of what Chiaki would do.

Suddenly the door to the roof flew open, making Anju practically jump out of her skin, but when she turned around it was just Akihiko-senpai looking like he had just nearly escaped being run down by a mob. As soon as he saw her though, his worn expression changed into one of pure happiness.

Akihikoo walked towards Anju and stopped mere inches away from Anju and whispered to her "Please tell me you don't have a date for the Christmas party yet"

Unable to speak, she shook her head to indicate she didn't have a date, in fact, no one had even asked her. Why would they?

Akihiko breathed a huge sigh of relief and started laughing. "Good. If you had a date I don't know what I would have done!"

"Why's that?" She asked, completely clueless but he just smiled and said:

"Well, because I wanted to ask you myself. So, Anju-chan, will you go to the Christmas party with me?"

Anju wanted nothing more than to say yes and she almost did, but once again her mother was getting in the way. The Christmas party the night after her plan was to take action, making it impossible for her to go.

"Aki-kun" She said, blushing because she'd only called him that in her head, and never aloud and nearly crying because of what she was going to say next. "I can't go with you. I'm busy that night, I promised my mom I'd spend Christmas with her this year…I can't get out of it…"

This left Akihiko very confused. He didn't know whether to be happy that his Anju-chan had finally broken down and called him not Akihiko-kun but Aki-kun, or to be more depressed because she had turned him down with such a classic excuse. He tried thinking of how he should respond, but never got the chance because Anju quickly excused herself and ran back down the stairs, leaving him on the roof alone.

Christmas Eve is the day after tomorrow, and if anyone knew what Anju was planning to do the night before, I wonder how many would try to stop her and how many would watch in silence…


	4. Chapter 4

**WARNING: THE FOLLOWING CHAPTER MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NOT APPROPRIATE FOR SOME READERS. IF YOU ARE NOT MENTALLY STABLE PLEASE DO NOT CONTINUE. IF YOU CHOOSE TO KEEP READING IT WILL BE AT YOUR OWN RISK AND I AM IN NO WAY ACCOUNTABLE. OH, AND I DO NOT OWN ****ANYTHING!**

Chapter 4:

Christmas Eve is supposed to be a happy time of the year. People are supposed to be celebrating with their families, laughing, having a great time, but for some people, Christmas eve can never be looked at again as something to celebrate.

It was early in the morning and snow had just started to slowly fall from the sky. A lone high school boy walked alone along a frozen path. He was heading to school to help prepare for the Christmas Eve party later that night, when he saw something out of the corner of his eye that made him freeze.

A young girl with her long hair tied up in an intricate style on her head hung from the branch of a cherry tree that was somehow blossoming in the middle of Winter, staining the snowy white scene with its luscious pink. The girl wore nothing but a loose white T-shirt and a matching pair of ripped shorts which could have been pants on time. The T-shirt was cut to reveal her scarred abdomen and her torn shorts showed her bare legs, marked with bruises, scratches and scars. Her arms were colored in the same purple and red pattern as the rest of her, and even her neck had signs of abuse, which must have been why she tied her hair up. She wanted people to see the capabilities of a cruel mother….

At first, the boy thought it wasn't a real person but a dummy put there for some sick joke. He was about to keep walking when it hit him like a punch to the gut, he recognized the face of the girl hanging there. He almost didn't realize it was her because of the lifeless pale look, or maybe it was because he didn't want to recognize it at first. Either way, as soon as he knew who it was, he became very sick. He had to stop and sit to keep himself from puking. Tears welled up in his eyes and he unsuccessfully tried to hold back the sobs, he even let out a small scream and started to black out. The world seemed to go blurry, and start to spin.

*meanwhile*

Ever since they had run into the girl in the store, Hajime had been more persistent than ever looking for this girl. She was so young, so innocent, she didn't deserve to go to hell, there had to be some other way! So as a favor, an old friend of his gave him the year books to all the local high schools where he then proceeded to search every face until he found her. He was fortunate enough to find her in the first book he flipped through.

"Yamazaki Anju" He said aloud when he finally found her face in one of the second year classes, and of course, even though it was Christmas eve, he and Tsugumi were quickly on their way to the school.

The father daughter pair were nearly to the school when they heard a blood curdling scream coming from farther up the road, and by reflex, they both started running towards it. Hajime ran as fast as possible, leaving Tsugumi struggling just to keep up. He thought he was too late. He worried he had failed yet again to stop Ai, but when he got there, it was a much more horrible scene then he ever imagined possible.

The first thing he noticed was a boy, probably a high school senior, puking his guts out on the side of the road, tears flowing down his face like a waterfall. He seemed to be disoriented, his eyes wild, and that's when he saw what was most likely the cause for the boy's obvious distress.

Behind the boy stood a brilliant cherry tree in full bloom, yet Hajime barely noticed how strange that was since his eyes were set somewhere else….

"Hajime! Wait up!" Tsugumi yelled, she had been left in the dust when her father took off. Hajime turned around, breaking free from the horrible sight in front of him. He yelled at Tsugumi:

"No! Tsugumi, don't look!" But it was too late. Tsugumi had already seen it. The girl, lifeless, was hanging from a red noose and a little black straw doll lying on the ground below her. It was the same girl they had run into at the store, the same one they were trying to save. Tsugumi started to cry and fell to her knees. Hajime ran to comfort his daughter and the once still snow scene was now painted in a much more depressing color as sounds of tragic sobs filled the cold air.

*Ten minutes later*

Police arrived, and so did a news crew. The area was soon blocked off and Hajime, Tsugumi, and the boy were pulled off to the side to be interrogated.

"Have any of you disturbed the body since you discovered it?" A male detective asked the group. Hajime shook his head and said they hadn't.

"Did any of you know the victim?"

They all nodded, the boy more hesitantly than the others. The detective then opened his mouth as if to say something but the boy cut him off

"her name is Anju." His eyes fell to the ground and tears once again started flowing down his face, not like they had ever completely stopped. "Yamazaki Anju, second year at Sakurano High school, not a member of any clubs of after school activities. An A student, near the top of her class, a kind soul…"

The detective looked at him with sympathy, realizing the boy must have been close to the girl. He asked "Thank you , uh, what did you say your name was again?"

"Inoue Akihiko"

"That's right, thank you for the information. It will be very useful during our investigation."

"Investigation?" Hajime asked. He thought it was obvious it was just a suicide which usually doesn't call for very much of an "investigation"

"Yes, we're launching a homicide investigation. Based on all those injuries, the girl was obviously suffering from long-term abuse and it's likely the killer just tried to make it appear like a suicide to avoid detection."

"It's not a homicide, sir." A female officer walked up to the detective and handed him a folded slip of paper. "This was on the ground proper against the tree, sir, it's a suicide note and, uh….Well, you'll see."

The detective took the note and opened it, reading it carefully. The way his expression changes while reading it, how to explain it, it was like watching a rainbow start to change its colors. At first, it was a stern look, then pain, sympathy, anger, sadness, so many emotions passing through his features. Then, he looked up at Hajime and said:

"You're Shibata Hajime, right? I think you should read this." Hajime hesitantly took the note and stared to read it silently to himself before reading it aloud, voice cracking as he did.

"_Under a cherry tree, this very same tree, a mother once loved her daughter. She praised her, played with her, hugged her, and smiled with her. Now, that very same mother hits her, scratches her, beats her relentlessly. That's why this is my only option, as a girl unloved by even her own mother, it's my only way to escape. I know I don't deserve to reach heaven but I hope maybe, somehow, I will be allowed to enter its marvelous gates. I don't want to be trapped in this hellish world any longer! But I won't leave without saying goodbye, and thanking the people that helped my unbearable life be a bit better._

_First off, Aki-kun, I've always wanted the courage to call you "My Aki-kun" but I could never muster it, so I hope it's alright I do it now. I want to thank you the most. You kept me from self destructing. You helped me stand a little taller and walk a little prouder. I felt safe with you around. I'm sorry it couldn't have lasted a bit longer…._

_The next person I want to thank, I don't know your name, nor do I know how you knew so much about me, but I still need to thank you because if you hadn't approached me in the store that day, I would have made a huge mistake. I think things are better this way…._

_There is one more person want to say something to, but it's not to thank them. To Yamazaki Chiaki, a woman I refuse to call a mother any longer, I have no more than three words: "__**Go to hell**__"_

When Hajime finished reading, he was in a state of shock. It was obvious that the no-named person she thanked in her letter was him and he couldn't get over it. Had his words really made her commit suicide instead? He didn't want to believe it but….he was part o the reason that an innocent girl was now hanging lifeless from a branch?

In a state of shock, Hajime dropped the letter, tears rolling down his face.

_Why…._He thought. _Why couldn't I save her! _

Tsugumi was also crying. She felt so sorry for Anju that she just couldn't hold in the overwhelming emotion. She hadn't realized how much she had started to care for the older girl until now when she found herself sobbing uncontrollably and wishing things had turned out differently. Somewhere along the line, she started thinking of Anju like an older sister, and like a flower that had yet to have its chance to bloom into something beautiful and magnificent.

Nearby, now being held up by an EMT from the ambulance that had arrived because of his violent vomiting, was the boy who had initially found the girl hanging there. Tears like a heavy rain were pouring down his face and his expression was one of someone that had just lost everything they love in the world.

The boy waved away the EMT's, even though they insisted he sit down until he had calmed down, and walked over to where Hajime had dropped the letter, and picked it up. When he started reading it, a look of shock overtook is hopeless face. He read in silence until the end of the letter then he reached for something in his pocket.

Just this morning, this boy had seen his mother get beaten yet again. He had wanted to interfere and push his father away from her, but he knew that he would just turn on him and it pain's the boy's mother so much to see him get hurt, so he's learned to sit back and wait to comfort her when it's over. Almost every day is like that. This morning it was because breakfast had been a few minutes late. The day before, it was because his father's clothes got wrinkled. Last week, it was because she hadn't cleaned the house to his satisfaction.

The high school student council president wished _desperately_ that it would end, and as he walked out his own front door and off to school, hoped that he could see his angel again and make her smile and laugh. It was like his secret mission to make sure Anju was always smiling and always safe and happy. Seeing her lifeless like this just killed him inside, worse than a blade being twisted around in the heart. H

He, too, collapsed to his knees, then fell even lower kind of crawling into a ball on the ground and let out screaming sobs. He tried to make sense of it all. He knew it was real but it felt so abstract, so detached from reality. He also blamed himself…..How could he have missed it? How could he not know that his angel was in so much pain? Or did he just not want to see it because it reminded him of his own screwed up home life?

Another police officer came and walked over to Hajime.

"You seem to know the girl, right? We found this tied around her neck along with the noose" The officer flinched at the last word, and handed Hajime a little black straw doll with a crimson string around it's neck.

The boy, still sobbing on the ground, looked up for a moment and noticed the doll, identical to his own, given to him by the Jigoku Shoujo, or Hell Girl. The only difference is that his is a dark shade of green instead of black.

_Anju was going to send her mother to hell…._

At this point, a small crowd had gathered around the scene, police tape had been put up, and reporters had arrived to get the latest scoop. A few blocks away, a cruel but very conflicted woman sat sipping tea and watching the morning news. Today was her day off and her daughter had left early for school like always. Though, her daughter probably did it to get away from her, not to get to school early to help with the upcoming holiday.

"This morning a high school second year was found hanging from a blooming cherry tree by a fellow student and student council president of her school." A reporter said and the camera moved to show the scene. A young girl with ink black hair tied up in an intricate bun, skin as pale as the moon, and nothing but a short white gown. The tree she was hanging from was a cherry tree in full blossom, staining the white snow around it in dancing pink petals. Chiaki, however, barely noticed the out of season blooming of the tree. She was focused on the girl, her girl, Anju, hanging from it like a lifeless doll.

In a second, she was out the door running to see her daughter hoping the TV was playing tricks on her. When she did eventually reach the scene, she ignored the police tape and the crowd of people and dashed towards the now ice cold body of her daughter, and then she cried….

She cried, and cried and cried. She didn't listen when the police started yelling at her, telling her to back away from the body and get back behind the tape. She resisted when they tried to pull her away.

"BUT IT'S MY DAUGHTER! MY BABY GIRL!" She screamed and started crying again. One of the officers froze. He had read the suicide note left behind and remembered exactly what it said about the girl's mother. He didn't waste any time.

"Arrest her! We're charging her with reckless homicide or child abuse at least!" The others complied and with some difficulty, put cuffs on the women and forced her into a squad car.

Akihiko, the high school boy that was previously unable to function because of the news, noticed a women much resembling Anju, but older, old enough to be her mother, was being shoved into a police car, hands cuffed behind her back.

_She doesn't deserve to live _He thought to himself, glaring at her from a distance. Akihiko reached into his pocket and pulled out his straw doll. He had intended this for his father, but now, with all his might, he wished his revenge to be taken out on one person, one woman. Yamazaki Chiaki. With that, he pulled the string.

"Merry Christmas, Hell Girl….." He said, and the straw doll disappeared.

**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get this published. I just had a whole mess of things going on, including my computer crashing and almost losing the entire thing _ I think this is the end, but if you guys really like it and want me to write more, I might do an Akihiko pov chapter about what happens to him and his family. **


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